Before shipping goods via Western Bid delivery, you must ensure that the item is not prohibited for shipment and does not have any additional export restrictions or permit requirements.
Regardless of the rules of any given postal service, when shipping goods via Western Bid delivery it is necessary to ensure that such goods have no restrictions and are not prohibited for shipment. In compiling this list, the rules of various customs systems and delivery services, as well as the requirements from American regulatory authorities, were taken into account.
In addition to this list, we recommend that sellers independently verify whether your goods are allowed for import into a specific country. This is important to avoid problems at the recipient country’s customs.
Who should check export restrictions
- Sellers who ship goods via Western Bid delivery from Ukraine and other countries.
- Customers who deal with art objects, oil paintings, collectibles, and other sensitive categories.
- New users of the service who have not yet read the Terms of Service and the special list of items whose sale is not supported by Western Bid.
Items with forwarding restrictions:
- For products made from natural stone a gemological examination is required. If the stones are not natural (such as cubic zirconia, glass, ceramic, or plastic stone imitations), then the examination is not required.
- Shipping of jewelry made of silver, gold is possible only via the FedEx Priority Ukraine service. When sending, you must provide a document proving the origin of the item. If you made it yourself, you need to provide a document proving where and from whom the materials for making it were purchased and the purchase receipt.
Documents confirming the origin of the item (or the materials if the item was made by you) should be submitted to us from your personal account by creating a support request. Choose “Shipping” – “FedEx”, and in the comment indicate what this document is and the number of your shipment.Important: shipping of jewelry made of gold or silver is not allowed through any other services except FedEx Priority Ukraine.
- For art objects in the form of paintings (oil on canvas) or sculptures (plaster, metal) a Ministry of Culture permit is required. Sending via FedEx and UPS without an appraisal is possible only for a print, a printed image, or a photograph. All painted pictures also require additional accompanying documents.
- For watercolors, pencil sketches, caricatures, for gouache works or other paint on paper, wood, or other coating (except canvas) you must add to the usual shipping documents a printed listing of the item (sold lot) from Etsy, Ebay or Lavky with a photograph that is noticeable, and the indicated sale price of the item.
- For shipping portraits in oil on canvas, created from a photograph, to the standard shipping documents you need to add a printout of the lot with the price and a copy of the original photograph. Shipping via FedEx and UPS without special verification is available only for printed images.
- For complex knives and kortiks a conclusion that these items are not cold weapons is required.
- If the shipment contains a lithium-ion or simply lithium battery (for example, in a phone), or a battery (in a laptop/tablet), you need to do the following:
- Print the Safety Document. At the top indicate the UPS shipment number, and at the bottom put your signature. Here is a sample
- Print a large sticker or small stickers for packages on a color printer. Write your phone number in the field For more information, call____________ and affix the sticker to the box with the item so that it is visible from the outside. The Safety Document must be affixed to the parcel in a separate transparent polyethylene self-adhesive envelope (pouch), which can be obtained from the courier or at the drop-off point.
IMPORTANT! Batteries and devices with batteries cannot be shipped in any form in consolidation deliveries.
When you need to ship a device with batteries you must inform the managers of our support service through the “Support” section – “Shipping” – “Other” and you may be able to dispatch by express methods under the conditions described above.
Prohibited to ship dangerous rechargeable batteries (including used), such as: lead-acid, alkaline, including automotive batteries, lithium batteries without devices, damaged or defective batteries of any type and those that have exceeded their service life — alkaline, nickel-metal hydride (NiMH) or nickel-cadmium (NiCd) batteries.
Items prohibited from shipment:
Your shipment must not contain any items listed in the Goods section, the sale of which is not serviced by Western Bid. Such items are listed in the Terms of Service and in the special list on our site.
Also, there are additional restrictions on forwarding goods from Ukraine:
- Any liquids are prohibited from shipment by postal services.
- Any food products.
- It is forbidden to ship herbariums, ikebana, brooms, bouquets, preserved moss, teas and plant seeds and any other dried flowers, branches and grasses, with the exception of products made from them (such as mats and vases).
- Watches older than 60 years are forbidden for forwarding.
- Sunglasses are not permitted for import into the USA.
- Shipping of weapons and dual-use or military equipment: transmitters, spare parts from military equipment, radios, optical sights, night-vision devices and the like.
- Orders, state decorations and documents related to them (including award badges and decorations), as well as orders, insignia, medals and other memorabilia that promote Soviet and/or communist values.
- Any liquids are forbidden to ship, as well as medicines, dietary supplements, tablets and medicinal ointments.
- Wild and domestic animals, including live animals, carcasses, body parts, taxidermy, skins, ivory. Also goods made from parts of extinct animals and animal parts that belong to rare, endangered species listed in the Red Book.
- Any cosmetics in liquid form are forbidden for shipment. Other cosmetics, solid soap, bath products (bombs, etc.), gel polishes can be shipped ONLY after coordination with the Support service via the section “Support” in your account. Please choose the “Shipping” – “Other” option and you will be provided with information coordinated with brokerage services, and the final decision regarding shipping this type of product.
- Raw amber and amber products are forbidden for shipment.
- Any goods manufactured in LNR, DNR, Crimea, shipped from LNR, DNR, Crimea, have any mention of LNR, DNR, Crimea and its towns in listings or contain in the description the word “Crimea” or “Crimea”, LNR, DNR.
- Live, preserved or dried insects (except insects not of natural origin, embedded in epoxy resin).
- Body parts, including specimens, dummies and other imitations of human body parts, organs or tissues of humans, blood and its components, human and animal embryos, human remains, including exhumed remains or those subjected to cremation, as well as human hair (including items made from natural human hair, wigs, brushes, extensions) and teeth.
- Legal tender notes that are in circulation, coins, banknotes, bonds and coupons.
If you need to ship souvenir coins, you must coordinate with our Support service via the ‘Support’ section in your account. Please choose the ‘Shipping’ – ‘Other’ option and you will be provided with information coordinated with brokerage services, and the final decision regarding shipping this type of item.
- Things and items that by their properties may cause damage to the postal facility or pose a danger to postal workers, including contaminating or spoiling (damaging) other postal items and postal equipment (including graphite powder, sand, dry gypsum powder without proper packaging, etc.).
- Any powdery substances, prohibited for shipment through Consolidation.
- Documents, identity cards and licenses, including passports, work books and other important documents, including copies of documents and references issued by notaries.
- Goods under embargo.
- Narcotics and narcotic substances, psychotropic substances, including in the form of medicines, aerosols, smoke, smoking mixtures, including tobacco, tobacco products and items for smoking, bongs, electronic cigarettes or their parts, as well as hookahs, fillings and mixtures for hookahs and electronic cigarettes.
- Explosive substances, fireworks or pyrotechnic devices or materials for them.
- Explosive or dangerous goods (including those under pressure, namely: fire extinguishers, airbags, scuba tanks, etc.).
- Items that resemble civilian and service weapons in design, markers, paintball/airsoft pistols, parts of them, stun devices, gas and traumatic pistols, self-defence items such as: gas canisters and sprays containing pepper liquids, brass knuckles, clubs, ceramic knives, axes, saws, etc.
- Hazardous materials, fuels, caustic substances.
- Catalytic converters and test tubes.
- Ozone-depleting substances and substances that pollute the environment (any type of aerosols, sprays, disinfectants, automotive resins, dry ice, herbicides, insecticides, pesticides, household and medical waste, other hazardous waste)
- Flammable substances and liquids, including zinc powder, acetone, any type of lighter fuel, solvents, ordinary perfumes in the form of perfumes, oils, colognes or eau de toilette, enamels and glue.
- Pathogenic and infectious substances.
- Materials that are radioactive and toxic, as well as any reagents and chemical compounds, compounds that contain poisons.
- Cultural antiquities and other items of archaeological significance. Including natural shells of mollusks.
Remember that shipments are not opened but are scanned at customs. Violators of the shipping terms will be disconnected from the forwarding service, and they will be obliged to reimburse Western Bid’s costs for legally resolving the situation arising from the sender’s unlawful actions (if such costs are incurred).
Remember that the shipper (if necessary) is obliged to provide all required documents for the cargo (certificates, references, expert opinions, etc.).
Note: shipments sent via Western Bid delivery are not opened, but are scanned at customs. If prohibited or incorrectly declared goods are found, the sender may be suspended from the service and be required to reimburse Western Bid’s costs for the legal resolution of the situation.
Frequently asked questions about products that require additional authorization
Does Western Bid check the contents of my parcel before shipment?
Does Western Bid check the contents of my parcel before shipment?
Packages sent via Western Bid are not opened, but are scanned by customs. Detected prohibited or incorrectly declared items may be grounds for disconnection from the service and for a demand to reimburse legal costs.
Which goods are in principle prohibited from sale and shipment through Western Bid?
Which goods are in principle prohibited from sale and shipment through Western Bid?
The full list of goods that Western Bid does not service is provided in the Terms of Service and in the special list on the site. Before working with new product categories, please familiarize yourself with these documents.
Who is responsible for issuing certificates and permits for cargo?
Who is responsible for issuing certificates and permits for cargo?
The consignor is obliged (if necessary) to provide all the necessary clearance documents for the cargo: certificates, attestations, expert assessments, and other documents required by law for the export of a specific product.
What you need to check before shipping a product via Western Bid
- The product must not belong to the category of goods not serviced by Western Bid — the corresponding list is in the Terms of Service and on the service’s website.
- The product must not belong to categories that require additional permits, certificates, expert assessments, or other official documents.
- The shipment must not fall under special export restrictions from Ukraine (certain groups of goods may require separate permits or be completely prohibited from export).